"Fire broke out today at around 12.35 PM. Because its a congested bustee area, getting inside near the building for the fire engines was quite a task and hence the fire got the time to spread in this way. We tried our level best and the situation is under control now," a senior police officer told the Press Trust of India.

The cause of the fire is still not known.

Officials from the fire department, personnel from the Kolkata Police Disaster Management Group were at the spot, the officer added.